The role of the attack submarine is being redrawn with the US Navy’s next nuclear attack submarine, the SSN(X), will be faster, spend less time in repair and act as a mothership for a constellation of undersea drones, according to Rear Admiral Andrew Miller, the Navy’s head of requirements for submarines. Speaking at the Naval Submarine League’s annual conference on Thursday, he said the service is finalising its analysis of alternatives for the class that will follow the Virginia-class boats.The US Navy is looking at a hull of larger diameter, closer to the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine, with capabilities more like the Seawolf class, a late Cold War design widely seen as the most lethal attack submarine in the world. The idea is to move the submarine from a lone hunter-killer to a launch platform for uncrewed systems fired from its torpedo tubes, extending the reach of the manned fleet.
Why unmanned vessels matter
Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) and unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) were first used for scientific research and offshore inspections. They are now being developed for surveillance, mine warfare, reconnaissance, anti-submarine warfare and the protection of undersea infrastructure. They can stay deployed for long periods, work in contested waters without risking crews, and carry sonar, magnetometers and other sensors to survey sea beds, find mines and monitor cables and pipelines.
India’s progress
India has been building its own capability, at the annual Swavlamban in 2023, to guide industry on systems that match its requirements and the Atmanirbhar Bharat drive. By the end of that year, the Defence Ministry had cleared several unmanned systems under the Make category, among them SAVIOR, a semi-submersible autonomous vessel for intelligence and reconnaissance, CASCADE-ASW, an autonomous craft for anti-submarine warfare.Industry has moved since then, Sagar Defence’s USV Matangi completed a 1,600km autonomous journey from Karwar to Thoothukudi in 2024, and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers delivered the Jaldoot USV to the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory in December 2024. Bharat Electronics Limited has developed a solar-powered USV for hydrographic surveys and coastal surveillance.Operating them across India’s waters is a challenge. The western coast has rougher seas, stronger swells and long monsoons, which puts heavy demands on hull design, propulsion, sensors and communications. Smaller craft must balance endurance and low observability against the need to stay afloat in difficult conditions. Communications are another requirement, since USVs need high-bandwidth links, satellite relays and resilient mesh networks that can withstand jamming, interception and cyber threats. The Navy has also identified the need for a Unified Platform Management System that can run several unmanned platforms from a single console.The focus is now shifting from individual vessels to an integrated maritime network. How well it performs will depend on reliable communications, common control systems, indigenous technology and the ability to operate in India’s varied waters.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
